Mail-box signal



J. B. MASERANG pril 28, 11925.

MAIL BOX SIGNAL Filed Jan. 7, 1924 aftoz mu Patented Apr. 28, 1925.

UNITED STATES JOHN B. MASERANG, OF BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS.

MAIL-BOX SIGNAL.

Application filed January 7, 1924. Serial. No. 684,846.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. MASERANG, a citizen of the United States, residin at Belleville, in the county of Saint lair, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Box Signals; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descrlption of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in mail boxes, and particularly to rural mail boxes.

One object of the invention is to provide a signal for a mail box by means of which the collector may know when there is mail in the box to be taken up, and also by means of which the owner of the box may see when the mail has been removed from the box.

- Another object is to provide a signal for a mail box, and novel and improved means holding the signal in elevated position, at times, and in lowered position, at times, said means being operable upon the opening and closing of the door of the box by the collector or the owner.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a mail box equipped with the improved signaling device, the signal being in elevated position, to indicate presence in the box of mail to becollected.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the si nal in lowered position.

igure 3 is a top plan view. Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 3, showing the means for holding the signal in elevated or lowered position.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawing, 10 represents a portion of a' mail box of the type used in rural districts of the country, the same having a downwardly swinging pivotally mounted door 11 in one end thereof, to permit access to the interior of the box.

Secured to the top of the box, and extending beyond the open endof the box, is a plate 12, the outer end of which is formed with a tubular portion 13 extending transversely of the plate. Secured to the upper portion of the door 11 is a metal strip 14, the intermediate portion of which is bent into an outwardly extending loop 15, arranged to be grasped to open and close the door. The tubular portion 13 is so arranged that the upper portion of the door, and the adjacent portion of the strip 14 will snap thereunder, to hold the door in closed position.

Secured-to one edge of the door is an angle plate 16, the same extending a short distance rearwardly thereof, and then laterally outwardly away from the side of the box.

Securedto the side of the box, immediately in rear of the plate 16 is a vertically disposed and longitudinally and intermediately folded late 17, the upper portion of the fold of w ich is cut out, as shown at 12-5. Disposed in the upper portion of the folded plate 17 is one end of the substantially Z- shaped arm 19, said arm being arranged to move through the said opening or cut out portion 18, as the signal arm swings from its signaling to its nonsignaling position. It will be noted that the end of the arm 19 engages the rear of the laterally directed portion of'the angle plate 16, when the signal arm is elevated, to maintain the same in such position, while said end engages with the upper edge of the angle plate, when the signal arm is in lowered position, to prevent the arm being raised until the door 11 is opened. Secured to the other end of the signal arm 19 is a right-angularly I' bent metal plate 20, one portion of the same extendin longitudinally of the axis of the box, w ile the other portion extends at right angles from the side of the box. It will be noted that, when the signal arm is in lowered position, the intermediate-portion of the arm bears, against the spacing block 21, which is disposed within the fold of the plate 17, and receives the attaching bolt 22 therethrough. Thus the arm is prevented from moving down into a position beyond which the outer end thereof will lie in a horizontal position. ,1

The particularly constructed sign a1 semaphore blade permits the collector to see when the arm is raised, as he approaches the box,

along the road, while at the same time the owner of the box may see the signal, from the house.

This signal is particularly adapted for use in connection with rural mail boxes where the owner, who wishes to mail a letter, places the letter and the money for stamps, in the box, closes the door, in such manner that the signal will be elevated. As the collector approaches the box, he knows, by the position of the signal that there is mail in the box to be collected. WVhen he opens the door to remove the mail and money, the signal arm is released, and falls into horizontal position, at the side of the box. The owner then knows that the mail has been collected.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a mail box and its door, of a support on the box adjacent the side of the door, a signal arm pivotally supported on the support and having oppositely extending offset portions, lying in the same plane, means on the door for engagement with one of the said offset portions of the arm, when the door is in closed position, for holding the arm in vertical position, at times, and in horizontal position, at times, and a projection on the support for engagement with one side of the lastnamed offset portion of the arm the door carried projection engaging with the other side of the last-named offset portion of the arm for holding the arm against pivotal movement in either direction While the door is in closed position.

2. The combination with a mail box and its door, with means for releasably holding the door in closed position, of a signal including an arm having its opposite ends offset in opposite directions from the body thereof, means on the box for pivotally supporting the arm by one of its offset ends, means on the door for engagement with one side of the last named offset end of the arm when the door is in closed position to retain the arm in elevated position, at times, and in lowered position, at times, and means on the supporting means for engagement by the other side of said last-named offset end to prevent the pivotal movement of the arm in both directions.

3. The combination with a mail box and its door, with means for releasably holding the door in closed position, of a signal including a bracket formed from a longitudinally folded plate secured to the side of the box and having an opening in the fold thereof, a substantially Z-shaped arm having its intermediate portion pivotally mounted Within the folded plate and having one end movable through the opening, the other end of the arm carrying an angularly bent I signal plate visible from two right angular directions, means in the folded plate for limiting the pivotal movement of the arm into elevated and lowered positions, and means on the door for engagement with the first-named end of the arm for maintaining the arm in its different positions until the door is opened.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. MASERANG. Witnesses:

ToNKA M. BUTTS, W. G. CoRwIN. 

